Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his heart condition, bilateral knee condition, low back condition, right rotator cuff tear with repair and scars, and generalized anxiety disorder with memory loss due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete STRs and the need for an addendum from a VA medical examiner regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hypertension. The issues include confirmation of completeness of the Veteran's service treatment records and obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran’s hypertension was aggravated by his service-connected MDD, other service-connected disabilities, or their medications.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressive mood due to exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board has found that the Veteran's VA examinations for his cervical spine, knee disabilities, and mental health conditions have not been conducted as scheduled. The appeal is being remanded to reschedule these examinations and obtain updated VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of her hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disability. The claims will be returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new VA examination to reconcile conflicting opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depressive disorders.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted a 100% rating, effective from the date of this decision. The low back strain with degenerative arthritis remains remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 30% prior to February 12, 2013. From February 12, 2013 through January 4, 2016, he received a 50% rating. However, from January 5, 2016 onwards, his PTSD was rated as not meeting the criteria for any higher disability ratings.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified anxiety and unspecified depressive disorders, is denied as the evidence does not support a service connection due to lack of in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the appellant's mental state at the time of his discharge, and a VA medical examination is needed.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension was dismissed. The Board granted a 50 percent rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder) from March 27, 2012 to December 15, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, a cervical spine disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, and PTSD), all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected Cushing’s syndrome.

The Board has restored compensation for the Veteran's conditions and found that the severance of compensation was improper.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's new and material evidence includes post-service VA and private treatment records, as well as lay statements from the Veteran.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient clarification of a previous VHA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's depression. The case will be returned for further adjudication, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus is dismissed as the January 2014 rating decision became final.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for headache disability was reopened due to new evidence indicating a possible link between his current headaches and service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional evidence, including SSA records and a VA examination regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD with Anxiety and remanded the issues of service connection for chloracne on face, chest, and back, as well as DDD of the thoracolumbar spine.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression and anxiety was reopened due to the submission of new evidence.,Service connection for a psychiatric disorder, specifically adjustment disorder with mixed anxious and depressed mood, secondary to his service-connected muscle tension headaches, has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for another psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD due to military sexual trauma and bipolar affective disorder.